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Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), northern Iraq Neo-Assyrian, about 883-859 BC Protection for the royal palace from the forces of chaos This is one of a pair of guardian figures that flanked one of the entrances into the throne room of Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 BC). Stone mythological guardians, sculpted in relief or in the round, were often placed at gateways... [continue reading]

A close-up image of a colorful scene on a tile from Assyria which shows that the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II is accompanied by a bodyguard and attendants. This tile was probably part of a sequence showing the king as triumphant warrior and hunter. It is thought that most Assyrian palaces and major buildings had such paintwork and decorative elements... [continue reading]

The Assyrian king worships gods (Ashur, Shamash, Sin, Adad, and Ishtar) and records his achievements. This freestanding gypsum monument was erected by King Ashurnasirpal II (reigned 883-859 BCE). This stela weighs over four tons and was erected outside the Temple of Ninurta (a god of hunting and warfare) built by the king in his newly established capital... [continue reading]

A fragment from a wall relief that depicts the head of the Assyrian King Ashurnasirpal II. Neo-Assyrian era, 865-860 BCE. From the North-West palace at Nimrud (ancient Kalhu; Biblical calah), Mesopotamia, Iraq.(The British Museum, London).

The foundation of the Assyrian dynasty can be traced to Zulilu, who is said to have lived after Bel-kap-kapu (c. 1900 BCE), the ancestor of Shalmaneser I. The city-state of Ashur rose to prominence in northern Mesopotamia, founding trade colonies in Cappadocia. King Shamshi-Adad I (1813-1791 BCE) expanded the domains of Ashur by defeating the kingdom... [continue reading]

Kalhu (also known as Caleh, Calah, and Nimrud, in modern-day northern Iraq) was a city in ancient Mesopotamia that became the capital of the Assyrian Empire under Ashurnasirpal II (reigned 884-859 BCE) who moved the central government there from the traditional capital of Ashur. The city existed as an important trade center from at least the 1st millennium BCE... [continue reading]

King Ashurnasipal II of Assyira (reigned 883 - 859 B.C.), flanked by eagle-headed protective spirits, of which only the left one is visible in this photo.
From Nimrud, North-West Palace.
Exhibited in the British Museum London.

This is a pair of guardian figures (winged human-headed lions) that flanked one of the entrances into the throne room of Ashurnasirpal II (883-859 BCE). Stone mythological guardians, sculpted in relief or in the round, were often placed at gateways to ancient Mesopotamian palaces, to protect them from demonic forces. They were known to the Assyrians as lamassu... [continue reading]

In ancient Assyria, lion-hunting was considered the sport of kings, symbolic of the ruling monarch’s duty to protect and fight for his people. The sculpted reliefs illustrate the sporting exploits of the last great Assyrian king, Ashurbanipal (668-631 BCE) and were created for his palace at Nineveh (in modern-day northern Iraq). The hunting scenes, full... [continue reading]